Track-laying machine.



Patented Aug. 8, I899.

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

J. BURKE. TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 5, 1898.) (No Model.)

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No. 630,324.' Patented Aug. 8, I899. J. BURKE.

TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

{Application filed Nov. 5, 1898.}

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 No Model.)

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UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BURKE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

TRACK-LAYING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,324, dated August 8, 1899. Application filed November 5, 1898. Serial No. 695,530. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES BURKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track-Laying Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to track-laying machines, and has for its object to improve the same, with a view of securing increased efficiency and economy.

To these ends my invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

elevation, showing one of the angular brackets which support the rail-tram; and Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the same, with a portion of the car shown in section.

The pioneer-car 1 is provided with a suit-.

able rail-tram, which is shown as composed of a pair of parallel side bars 2, connected by cross-bars 3 and having mounted thereon a series of concave rollers l; This tram is shown as supported from the standard-sockets 5 of the car by means of angular brackets 6, the horizontal sections of which are flanged and underreach the bars 2 of the tram. The vertical sections of the brackets 6 extend upward through the standard-sockets 5 and are provided with a series of perforations 7 for receiving suitable pins 8 to support the brackets by resting on the upper ends of the sockets, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The railtram just hereinbefore described differs from the rail tram hitherto used on track laying machines, so far as I know, in the fact that it is extended to a greater distance beyond the forward end of the car. The brackets 6 are so set in respect to each other as to height that they will support the tram on a downward incline from its receiving to its delivery end. This inclination is such that the rail may be readily moved lengthwise of the tram on the concave rollers I, but it is not sufli cient to cause the rails to move lengthwise thereof solely under the action of gravity. Hence the rail may be stopped by a workman at any point desired lengthwise of the tram. The outer end of the tram is shown as stayed by a guy-chain or other cable 9, attached thereto and extending to the upper end of the standard 10, mounted below in one of the standard-socketso of the car and held in its upright position by a brace-rod ll, rigidly connecting the same to the body of the car. The part of the tram extending beyond the forward end of the car should be of a length a little less than one-halfthe length of the rail 12 which is to be laid. For cooperation with this forwardly-extendin g rail-tram above describedI provide a'suitable derrick and mount the same on the forward end of the car in proper position for enabling the same to be used to take and carry the rail from a central part thereof while the rail is being delivered from the tram and guided to place on the ties by the workmen. As shown, the derrick-mast 13 is rigidly secured to the forward end of the car at a point about central thereof. The boom 14 connects to the mast by an eyebolt-and-staple connection, as shown at 15. This affords freedom for a limited lateral play or movement of the boom, less than one hundred and eighty degrees,without permitting the derrick to swing around against the side of the car or toget in the road of other parts of the apparatus or of workmen when the machine is in use.

The outer end of the boom 14 is supported by a wire cable or other flexible guy 16, which extends over the top of the mast through a suitable guide-seat provided therefor and is made fast at its rear end to the body of the car. For convenience of application the guy 16 is provided at its forward end with a hook. 17 for engagement with the link .membei of an eyebolt and link 18, carried at the outer end of the boom. A suitable grapple 19 is carried at the lower end of the operating chain or cable 20,which extends over suitable guide-sheaves 21 on-the boomand mast, and thence to the winding-up shaft 22 of the windlass. The shaft 22 is provided with the customary or any suitable gear-wheel 23 at one end engaginga suitable pinion 24 on the handshaft 25. The shaft 25 has the usual operating crank-handle 26. On the hand-shaft 25 is located a friction disk or wheel 27, shown as having a V-shaped periphery, with which engages or may be made to engage a corresponding V surface of a hand-lever 28,which is pivoted to the mast. These parts 27 and 28 cooperate toafiord a brake for the control of the Windlass when under load. The shafts 22 and 25 are shown as mounted in suitable bearings carried by a framework 29, fixed to the car directly in the rear of the derrick and mast.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the pioneercar or track-laying machine is shown as standing on the last-laid section or pair of rails of the track, and sufficient ties 30 are properly disposed on the ground or road-bed in advance of the machine for. receiving the next While a given rail is being laid pair of rails. under the manipulation of the derrick and the men, another rail (not shown) is on the tram directly abreast of the car and there receives the angle-bars or fish-plates 31 at its forward end in loose form. Hence the rail last laid has at its forward end the necessary I pair of angle-bars 31 to form when the next rail is properly it is called, or alined therewith proper Working position.

With the above statements in mind the opthe rail-joint eration of this machine must be obvious.

One man stands at the Windlass of the der-, rick, another at the grapple, and two more cooperate at the railto Wit, one at each end of the same. its central point from the outer end of the tram it is caught by the grapple 19 at about its central point and almost simultaneously therewith by the two men, one at each end of the rail. At the same time the man at the Windlass manipulates the same to control the load and sustain the rail entirely from the derrick. The two men, one at each end of the rail, have only to properly manipulate the same, first, for clearing the tram under an initial lift from the derrick and, secondly, for properly guiding the rail into its laid position. The man at the rear end of the rail heels the same to the forward end of the rail last previously laid,.while the man at the forward end of the rail insures the proper alinement lengthwise of the track. In this way heeled, as Y on the tiesin the signalman.

Before the rail travels beyond the rails are laid by hand never occur. The

four men, positioned as named, are sufficient to handle the heaviest rails, and the work of laying the same is so quickly done as to make the building of the track almost continuous.

The track-laying machines so far put into commercial use, so far as I know, have been used without any derrick forcooperation with the other apparatus in any way similar to that herein disclosed, and with these track-laying machines without derricks from eight to twelve men have been required to handle the rails as delivered from the tram. Even then it was extremely laborious, comparatively slow, and accidents were extremely common from the dropping or bad manipulation of the rails. By the improvement herein disclosed I not only make the large saving in number of men for the manipulation of the rail, as above stated, but I greatly increase the efficicncy of the entire machine. The whole crew can cooperate to better advantage, and

the timing of all the actions is more regular and rapi All statements hereinbefore made as to the action of this machine are based on actual experience therewith in track-laying during the current season in North Dakota, and all comparisons with. prior machines are based on my own large experience with the bestknown machines hitherto employed in laying tracks.

It will of course be understood that the track-laying machine has other parts than those shown in the drawings. For example, the tie-tram is not shown, but is located on the other side of the car. Neither is the elevated platform shown which is used by These and other parts not shown are well kn own and constitute no part of my invention. My invention relates solely to the means for handling the rails, and all the parts material thereto in a working machine have been indicated or described.

It will be understood, of course, that the invention may vary in form of embodiment and that the details of construction may be changed at will without departing from the spirit of my invention. The tram may take other forms and be otherwise disposed in respect to the car so long as it projects or affords a means for delivering the rails forward of the car.

It is obvious that the machine herein disclosed is capable of use for relaying track as well as for laying the first or original track.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let- 13ers Patent of the United States, is as folows: i

1. In a track-laying machine, the combination with a car, of a rail-delivery tram carried thereby and extending forward thereof, and a derrick mounted on the forward end of the car and provided with a boom and grapple overhanging the delivery end of the tram, for sustaining the weight 'of the rail while being delivered and laid, substantially as deone hundred and eighty degrees, 'suhsta'n- IO scribed. tiaily as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a track-laying machine, the oombina- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature tion with a car, of a rail-deliverytram carried in presence of two witnesses. thereby and extending forward thereof, and a derrick having a mast fixed, against rotary JAMES BURKE motion, to the forward end of the car, and \Vitnesses:

provided with a boom pivotally connected to HARRY KILGORE the mast, but limited to a motion of less than J AS. F. WVILLIAMSON. 

